Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 56, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 March 1904 — Jasper’s Settlement. [ARTICLE]

Jasper’s Settlement.

From Timber to Prairie. The earlie-t settlers oame from, and were wedded to the timber. About one third of our county wa«forest and two thirds prairie of whioh one-half was dry and rolling. The different kinds of oak presented a fairly correct index to the soil where they grew, The burr and seed, showed a deep, rioh black loam. The white and black as a rule eho wed sandy or olay land The Jack swamp, pin and yellow indicated sand ridges and flits. The first comers looked out not alone to quality of soil. They desire free hunting, pasture, meadow and timber. An incentive of con trolling influence was a site for an aotual saw or grist mill. They counted on game, fish, fowl and quadruped. A source of cotnmeroe was also the furs ar d skin?. In summer the wild grass was counted on for pasture and hay. In winter the mast aud woods was drawn on for fuel, rails and boards with whioh to heat, fence and build. Even the berries in summer and nuts in autumn were not overlooked. The room was agree able and no premises were off ered to secure near neighbors. It was custom to have free fishing, hunting, pasture, meadow, and timber. Toe origin of the stock yard, the wood-pile, rails and lumber was not closely inquired into by anyone. The saving from the ungual fires was considered to ttie settlers or3dit. All these little sources of comfort oame easiest to those living in or near the timber. Their own timber was protested by fence aud a close wa.ob. The bands of non residents was a common piok--ing ground and besides was often over valued to help to get revenue by taxation. The road taxes were easily work ed out of the public treasury iuto the pockets of the neighbors. In due time settlers invaded the prairies The unoccupied lands began to be rented aud cared for. The swamps began to be drained. The timber and grass began to be regarded as owned by the laud proprietor, Near 1870 the obang< was wrought but too late to leave much good timber unfenoi-d It was as early as 1846 that the district of the prairie for home building began to disappear. The family of Rev. John Alter located in 1846 on seo2l 27-7 three miles from timber. Lewie S Alter still lives there and represents the prairie pioneer of Jasper county, The prairie is now prefemd to the timber and if good soil bears the highest price of all on farming lands. S. P. Thompson. | Feb 26, 1904.